Project Information
This project serves two purposes but one very important one. I have managed to get my son involved with minimal threats and other persuasion. Woohoo. Happy times. I love spending time with my boy and this is just pure joy for me. Not sure if he is as enthused. But hopefully he will remember this fondly when he is older.
It is basically a simple wooden lamp that I have filled with solar powered LED string lamps. The local chain hardware sells them for $12 for a string of 100 lamps. The solar panel is mounted in the top.
I have searched long and hard for a simple project to get my boy started in WW. This is what I came up with. And it has worked well. The project is broken down into easy and quick steps. I set up each stage, run him through it and let him go; except for anything fiddly. At the moment the angled mitres for the corners of lamp case are done on a table saw. When I can build a jig that will keep the fingers away he can do that part too. Everything else is straight forward but except for sanding I oversea all work.
The goal is to sell a few which will hopefully add to Dan's enthusiasm. We are nearly finished two more which have been snapped up already.
The big change for the next versions is two bigger holes in each side to let more light get out. Let you know how that goes soon.
An interesting feature is the mitred corners of the top. I cut a slot across each corner and then filled each slot with red coloured resin. I had to tape up the down sides to keep the shape but it worked pretty well. It also serves to reinforce the butt joins.
The second purpose is to use some 'waste' timber. The wood is recovered hardwood from an old fence. The fence was over 50 years old and very worn but mills up lovely. The sections and widths are a bit thin for most projects but I panelled two together for each side. Even though each piece is about 2 metres (8 foot) long, age has twisted them severely. The milling revealed some lovely coloured timber and the aging gives the finished lamp great texture. The finish is wipe-on poly.
If anyone has any other projects that I can inspire my son with, or use some old fence pailings to make let me know.
It is basically a simple wooden lamp that I have filled with solar powered LED string lamps. The local chain hardware sells them for $12 for a string of 100 lamps. The solar panel is mounted in the top.
I have searched long and hard for a simple project to get my boy started in WW. This is what I came up with. And it has worked well. The project is broken down into easy and quick steps. I set up each stage, run him through it and let him go; except for anything fiddly. At the moment the angled mitres for the corners of lamp case are done on a table saw. When I can build a jig that will keep the fingers away he can do that part too. Everything else is straight forward but except for sanding I oversea all work.
The goal is to sell a few which will hopefully add to Dan's enthusiasm. We are nearly finished two more which have been snapped up already.
The big change for the next versions is two bigger holes in each side to let more light get out. Let you know how that goes soon.
An interesting feature is the mitred corners of the top. I cut a slot across each corner and then filled each slot with red coloured resin. I had to tape up the down sides to keep the shape but it worked pretty well. It also serves to reinforce the butt joins.
The second purpose is to use some 'waste' timber. The wood is recovered hardwood from an old fence. The fence was over 50 years old and very worn but mills up lovely. The sections and widths are a bit thin for most projects but I panelled two together for each side. Even though each piece is about 2 metres (8 foot) long, age has twisted them severely. The milling revealed some lovely coloured timber and the aging gives the finished lamp great texture. The finish is wipe-on poly.
If anyone has any other projects that I can inspire my son with, or use some old fence pailings to make let me know.